SPRINGFIELD — The X Improvement Project, a roadway initiative 10 years in the making, was nearly derailed on Oct. 7 when members of the City Council objected to finding out in the eleventh hour that they would need to vote on land taking and easements that evening or risk losing the $16 million state-funded project.
DPW Director Chris Cignoli explained that the X Improvement Project requires four partial land takings by eminent domain, three of which affect the property at 615-621 Belmont Ave. that houses the CVS and TD Bank. The fourth land taking is at the corner of Belmont and Commonwealth avenues. The appraised value for the land takings was $98,770.
Permanent easements for traffic signs were required in five locations. The easements, at a cost of $7,000, were required so the city can change or replace the signs on the property as needed. An additional 128 temporary easements were required by the state for all properties where a new sidewalk is slated to be installed. Those easements — on Belmont, Sumner and Commonwealth avenues and Burlington, Dickinson, Oakland, Ormond, Lennox and Cliftwood streets — are valid for six years at a cost to the city of $464,130.
Affected property owners were notified by certified mail at least 30 days prior to the meeting and there have been six public meetings on the project over the past few years.
Cignoli came before the council for approval of the easements and land takings, as well as the total $569,900 in compensation to be taken from Chapter 90 state roadway funding.
Real estate agent Chet Ardolino spoke on behalf of Paul Ramesh, owner of 497 Belmont Ave., during the public speak out period of the meeting. As Ramesh understood it, the city planned to take the parking lot of his building, which houses Mojito’s Bar & Restaurant, for compensation of $13,000. He wanted time to speak with the city engineer about the issue.
City Councilor Tracye Whitfield explained that Ramesh had received bad information. After she explained that the plan called for a temporary easement in front of the property, Ramesh was satisfied.
Whitfield also said the plan had originally called for 140 trees to be removed but was scaled back to 40. Cignoli later explained that the state had wanted to drastically widen the roadways, but after pushback from residents in the neighborhood, the plan was altered to reduce tree removal, while maintaining the purpose of the project.
Whitfield said that if the easements and funding were not approved, it would put the state funding and entire project in jeopardy. “We complain a lot about that intersection,” she said, referring to the X, where Sumner and Belmont avenues intersect with Dickinson Street.
City Councilor Maria Perez said she viewed the project as a safety issue due to the number of students who cross the intersection when school lets out. She later added, “I cannot sit here and vote against a project that I know is going to bring safety to the area.”
City Councilor Victor Davila, whose ward includes the X, agreed. “This is not a want. This is a need,” he said, adding, “It’s a dangerous intersection.”
However, he said he was “ticked off” because the Finance Committee had learned a couple of hours earlier that without same-day approval of land takings and easements, the project would be at risk.
“I hate when people tell me, ‘If you don’t do this today, kiss it goodbye tomorrow,” he said and asked Cignoli why the vote had to happen that night.
Cignoli said the state had given the city approval to begin the appraisals in May. The multi-step process was completed in early August and letters were sent out to property owners. While the meeting would have ideally occurred in September, after the required 30-day window, it was scheduled for the Oct. 7 meeting. Approval of the land takings was required before the bidding process could begin and bidding was scheduled to open Oct. 8.
If the land takings and easements were not approved, Cignoli said, the state would likely transfer the funding from federal fiscal year 2024 to federal FY25, which began Oct. 1. This would take time and push the project back, he said.
Davila asked why the project had taken a decade to get to its current status. Cignoli told him that it began in 2014 with a three-year feasibility study. After that, it was added to the state’s next available transportation improvement program, which is scheduled in five-year increments. Cignoli said the X Improvement Project was always planned for federal FY24.
Davila then yielded a minute of his time to Robert Nassar, who owns 590 Sumner Ave., the home of Santander Bank. He said he had been in touch with the Law Department and the city engineer’s office. The proposed curb cuts would change the functionality of the property, he argued, adding that the bank was considering leaving the location.
“I’m stuck between the city and my tenant,” Nassar said, before stating that he did not want to litigate the issue, which he estimated could take years.
“This is an awful lot of information that you want us to swallow and vote on and be threatened with the loss if the project,” City Councilor Kateri Walsh said. She took exception to how the matter was brought to the council, saying it was “disrespectful.” She motioned for the land takings and easements to be sent to the Maintenance and Development Committee.
“We get put in this spot too often,” City Councilor Timothy Allen said of councilors not having the time they would like to vet items before a vote. He said affected property owners not having time to come before the council was “unreasonable.”
Whitfield countered, “We knew. We had six public speak outs. The design was tailored on the public speak outs.” She said despite not knowing the approval was needed that evening, the council had another two hours to ask questions if it so desired.
“Do we want to risk $16 million because we’re not comfortable with how the process went?” Whitfield asked. “That, to me, is fiscally irresponsible.”
Of the process going forward, she said, “Chris is on notice.” She told Cignoli, “Don’t do that again, Chris. You send the information to residents; you send it to us.”
City Councilor Brian Santaniello pointed out that the city can continue working with residents and said he would vote for the measure and the funding. City Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce also said he would approve the funding and land takings. He said similar sidewalk improvements were completed on Breckwood Boulevard and residents were happy with the results.
Davila said the importance of the project was not lost on him. He asked Cignoli to work with property owners to find solutions. “Absolutely,” Cignoli assured. He reminded the council and those watching the meeting that the temporary easements were for new sidewalks.
“No, we’re not going to be on your property for six years. We’re building you a new sidewalk,” he said, reiterating that residents and businesses would retain full use of the property.
With Cignoli’s assurance, Davila agreed to vote for the measure.
Allen said his issue was not with the project, but with not including residents. He asked if Cignoli had been in touch with the Forest Park Civic Association. He responded that he had had about seven conversations with the organization, outside of the public forums. Based on this, Allen acquiesced.
“I am really disappointed with the process, but I’m also smart enough to count the votes,” Walsh said. She withdrew her motion, and the council unanimously approved the land takings, easements and funding.
